Forbidden Magic
by Arigatomina
Summary: Yaoi, Gateau+Marron, shonen ai, slight violence/angst. Marron has doubts about his ability to use magic and still be normal. A sorcerer they've been hired to kill agrees with him, but the others won't let Marron be taken so easily.
1. Default Chapter

Author's Notes: This is my first fic for the series, but I've seen the first season in English and Japanese, my characterizations are from a mix of both. Criticisms or corrections are welcome, but any non-anonymous flames *will* be answered.  
Category: Anime, Sorcerer Hunters, TWT, Yaoi  
Warnings: slight angst, slight violence, hints of shonen ai  
Pairings: Gateau+Marron, Tira+Carrot/Chocolate+Carrot  
Author: Arigatomina  
Email: arigatoumina@hotmail.com  
Complete Archive: www.geocities.com/arigatomina  
www.fanficiton.net under Arigatomina  
  
Forbidden Magic  
  
Part 1  
  
"I don't get it." No one groaned this time, but Carrot could tell from their stares that they'd been expecting that. But still... "I'm serious. Why would a sorcerer hire hunters to kill him? And if he hasn't hurt anybody, then why would Momma agree?" Chocolate leaned on his arm, and he blinked at her warily. He was never sure if she was planning to hit on him or just hit him. "Well?"  
  
"Darling, Momma didn't say he wasn't evil. Just because we don't know what he did doesn't mean he hasn't done anything." The teenager frowned at her and she gave him a suggestive smirk. "But if he hired us himself, then it shouldn't be a hard assignment. Meaning we'll have time afterward to..."  
  
"Wait till we get there before you start that, could you?" Gateau asked with a frown. The girl ignored him, busy holding onto Carrot as the boy had started to shy away. Gateau sighed and sent a glance at Tira. The pink-haired girl's expression was mostly hidden by the large glasses she wore, but he could tell from her pinched lips and tense shoulders that she was seconds away from jumping in. At this rate, Carrot would run off again and turn what could be a simple job into another of his fiascoes. "Let's get going."  
  
"Right," Tira said sharply, though her voice didn't actually raise much. Chocolate had Carrot on the ground and she grabbed her sister's shoulder. "Sister, control yourself!" The red-haired girl's head snapped around and Tira gave a quick smile at the raised eyebrow. Lowering her voice, she leaned over the girl who continued to straddle the struggling Carrot. "Momma said the land the sorcerer rules is almost completely abandoned, meaning..."  
  
"No girls!" Carrot blinked and stayed were he was when she stood suddenly, and Chocolate turned her back on him. "No reason to stay around *here* when we should be going," she said with a bright smile.   
  
"But we didn't get supplies from the village," Carrot argued. The two girls were already walking down the path with Gateau and he sidled back a quick step. They'd tied him up last night so he couldn't go running after the village girls again, but they weren't paying any attention now. His mouth opened in a wide grin and he turned to bolt through the woods only to stop, his expression turning into a grimace.  
  
"Onii-san." Marron stood still for a second, pausing at the edge of the path with his left arm gripping the bag tossed over his shoulder. His older brother sweat-dropped, shoulders slumped, then frowned at him in blatant disappointment.  
  
"Where did *you* come from?" Carrot muttered, trudging a few feet ahead of the tall teen. He could still have run, Marron wasn't the kind to chase after him, but he knew his brother would tell the girls and he didn't feel like being drug the entire trip. Tira wouldn't mind, but the last time she hadn't watched out for rocks and he'd ended up bouncing around behind them. No, he'd pass this time. Pale gold eyes flicked to him when Marron stepped past and he made a face at the boy's calm expression.  
  
"I went to get supplies," Marron said easily, looking away to where Chocolate was shooting glances back. The girl was probably making certain Carrot hadn't tried to run off, he could see her and Tira slowing down so they could flank the boy. "You were asleep when I left." The dark-haired boy gave another scowl and Marron shrugged slightly before moving to the side so he could pass the two girls. He wasn't surprised that Carrot hadn't noticed his absence. His brother usually didn't notice anything that wasn't wearing a skirt, except for Chocolate and Tira. His brother took those two completely for granted, but Marron knew he enjoyed their attention most of the time.  
  
"What took you?" Gateau asked, turning his head when Marron fell into step beside him. "Half the day's gone."  
  
"There were some interesting rumors in the village," Marron said, "concerning the sorcerer. He passed through here three days ago."  
  
"Really?" The tall blonde frowned, his dark eyebrows drawing together. "But we were here then, and we didn't hear anything about a sorcerer."  
  
"No. It seems he asked after us, though. If I had known, I would have asked Momma how recently this job came in."  
  
The black-haired teen's eyes were narrowed and Gateau's frown darkened. "You're worried. Do you think this is a trap? I mean, it's odd enough already. Momma *said* he wanted to hire Sorcerer Hunters because he was losing control of himself. That *might* explain why he did it, if he heard about our last job."  
  
"There are no good sorcerers, you said that once." The blonde stopped suddenly, but Marron didn't slow and he heard Gateau catch up with a quick stride. "What are the chances that this sorcerer has spent his life without harming anyone, only to suddenly threaten murder on villagers outside of his territory? Even if something happened so that he lost control of his magic, that would not explain why he would leave his base. Momma said he didn't want to be responsible for his actions and that if Hunters would not come then the deaths would be on our heads. It makes no sense."  
  
"Why not?" Gateau shrugged. "Maybe it's like Carrot's Zoanthropy where he changes into something else. Carrot's still in control then, but couldn't this be a case where the sorcerer loses control?" Narrow eyes were focused on him and he smirked. "What?"  
  
"Maybe. But that still does not explain why he would spend so much time without harming anyone, or why he would care if he harmed villagers. He *is* a sorcerer." His friend was giving him an odd look and Marron turned, glancing back to where Carrot and the girls were walking behind them. Chocolate was nearly hanging on the boy's arm while Tira walked on the other side. His brother's expression was one of resignation, nothing like the excited joy that would have spread over his face if he'd been in the middle of any other two girls.  
  
"Marron." His eyes followed the quick sweep of fine black hair when Marron turned to look at him and he had to shift his focus quickly. His friend's pale face was completely devoid of expression, but that was normal for him. "What's eating you?"  
  
"What?" Marron blinked for a second, then his lips curved a bit as he understood what the man was asking. "I was thinking of something you said a while back. What makes a sorcerer evil? You said simply being a sorcerer."  
  
"That was months ago," Gateau frowned, running a hand through his short blonde hair. "But what about it?"  
  
"What makes a sorcerer?"  
  
Black hair fell forward when Marron looked away and Gateau sighed slowly, shaking his head. "You're never going to forget that, are you. Look, Marron, just because you have magic doesn't mean you're a sorcerer. I wasn't thinking when I said that. Sorcerers don't just have magic, they think that *because* they have magic it makes them better than commoners. Hell, if magic was all it took, then Momma would be a sorcerer, too, right?" He saw Marron nod, not raising his head and he gave another sigh. "So stop thinking about it." His friend looked back again and Gateau followed his gaze, rolling his eyes when he saw that the three had stopped a few yards behind them. "It never ends. At least there aren't any girls where we're going."  
  
"Yes," Marron said softly, watching the two females tugging at Carrot, "that's true."  
  
* * *  
  
The cry was so loud the two tall men in front jerked around ready for battle, only to be knocked aside. The boy barreled between them before shooting around the corner of the path, his scream still echoing in their ears.  
  
"A girl!!!!"  
  
"Darling!"  
  
"Carrot!"  
  
Gateau jumped back again as the two girls took off after the boy and he groaned, catching Marron's eye. "Damn. So much for the girl-free job. Any chance he's wrong?"  
  
"He can smell a girl from miles away," Marron said, a small smirk curving his lips. "I've never known him to be wrong."  
  
"Well, that's just great. Come on, Marron, let's go see if they killed him." The black-haired teen nodded and they moved after the other three. The woods stopped as soon as they rounded the corner, a few tall trees blocking the way they'd come from sight. They found themselves standing on a hill, the downward slope smoothing out for as far as the eye could see. "Damn, think the sorcerer is off the path? Or across that..."  
  
"Not sure," Marron murmured, "but Carrot's luck must be excellent. A girl camping out here, that's odd."  
  
Sure enough, a fire was burning at the base of the hill, two small tents set up to the side of it. A young black-haired girl was standing near the first tent, a tall man nearly hiding her. Carrot lay dazed on the short grass, a dark bruise blooming on his left cheek.  
  
"Darling, how could you?" The boy's eyes blinked at her glare, and Chocolate jumped onto Carrot's waist, holding him down. "You leave her alone!"  
  
"I'm so sorry," Tira said quickly, tilting her head back to look up at the furious man. "Really!"  
  
"Who are you people?" the man asked, brown eyes glaring daggers when Chocolate allowed Carrot to sit up and he noticed the boy still looking at his daughter. "You're lucky I didn't hit you harder," he growled.  
  
"Papa, he didn't hurt me." Big brown eyes peeked around the man's shoulders looking warily from the eager Carrot to Tira. She smiled at the pink-haired girl. "You're the first people we've seen in weeks."  
  
"The first people they see," Gateau said softly, his eyes meeting Marron's, "and they get attacked by a sex-starved teenager." The black-haired mage sighed but didn't respond. He noticed the man's eyes narrowed when they landed on them and he waved a hand quickly. "No harm intended! Aside from that one, we're pretty normal."  
  
"Darling, if I let you up, are you going to behave yourself?"  
  
Carrot nodded quickly, a wide smile spread across his face. The red-haired girl frowned at him, obviously not believing it for a second but she did get off him. Jumping to his feet, he hurried to stand in front of the angry man, his eyes wide. "I acted horribly, I apologize. I was so surprised to see her--I mean people out here." The man arched a thin eyebrow at him and he gave his most harmless smile, barely keeping his eyes from sneaking a look at the girl. His best bet was to get to her through the father, at least for now.  
  
"Does your family live near here?" Marron asked, his eyes sliding from the man to the silent woman standing near him. "I've heard that this area is unpopulated."  
  
"We're going to stay with my sister and her husband," the woman said. Her eyes glinted suddenly and she let out a small laugh. "Actually, you're young friend there reminds me of her son, the last time I saw him."  
  
"He's much better behaved," the man said, cutting her off. They looked at each other for a second, then he sighed. "Well, not *that* much better. But he would never jump at a girl from the top of a hill and try to tackle her. Especially one he'd never met." Carrot was blinking at him with a small smile and he raised an eyebrow again before nodding to Gateau. "I'm Mathew Graham. This is my wife, Marie, and our daughter, Kendra." He took a step forward, forcing Carrot back before letting the girl out from behind him. She smiled at them.  
  
Chocolate smiled back as they introduced themselves, none of the family realizing how tight her hold on Carrot's arm was. The boy's smile was strained, but she had no intention of letting him go one inch closer to the girl. Tira had taken up position on the other side of them and she exchanged a quick glance with her sister. They'd have to watch Carrot extra closely this evening.  
  
* * *  
  
"I don't see why we couldn't camp out in the open," Carrot muttered, glaring at the two girls lying on either side of him. His nose itched and he turned his head as much as he could, rubbing it against the rough tree bark behind him. He'd given up struggling, but his back was already starting to hurt from the tight ropes wrapped around his arms and waist. "Then I wouldn't have to sleep sitting up."  
  
"You're not sleeping anywhere near them," Gateau said sharply, his eyes narrow. "Besides, Mathew made us promise not to let you within twenty feet of them tonight. It's your own fault you had to jump them like that." The boy gave a petulant expression then groaned and wriggled against the tree. "You never hear Marron complain about sleeping like that." The young man in question looked up at the sound of his name then frowned. It was almost as if he hadn't been paying any attention, but Gateau doubted it. Marron noticed everything.  
  
"Just because my weird brother decides to sleep like that doesn't mean I should have to!" Carrot bit down on his words abruptly when Chocolate's arm slid onto his thigh, the girl blinking wide eyes up at him.  
  
"Darling, if you want to lie down," Chocolate murmured, running her fingertips over the boy's chest. "I can tie you to me, tonight."  
  
"Neisan!" Tira glared behind her glasses, her hands curling into fists as she fought the urge to push her sister off Carrot. Blue eyes blinked innocently at her and she scowled. "Behave."  
  
"All of you behave," Gateau said with a low groan. "We're leaving first thing in the morning, if you don't stop now we'll be up all night." The redhead frowned at him before sliding back into her blankets and pressing close to Carrot's legs. Tira did the same on the other side of the boy and Gateau collapsed onto his back with a sigh. Folding his arms beneath his head, he blinked at the dark canopy of trees before glancing to the side. Marron was seated a few feet away, leaning against a tree opposite his older brother. Dark hair stood out against his white robe where his head was bowed and Gateau leaned back again. It was time for him to take his own advice and sleep. They'd decided the sorcerer was somewhere past the flat land currently visible, meaning they had a very long trek ahead of them.  
  
* * *  
  
There was no sound, but a sharp light seemed to pass behind Marron's closed eyes and he sat up abruptly. The feeling was one of foreboding, a familiar sensation that told him without a doubt that something dangerous was nearby. Though he didn't know if the enemy was within hearing range, he kept his voice low, crouching near the tree he'd been sleeping against. "Mina! Wake up!" He heard Gateau move near him and his right hand slipped to where he kept his wards. Wide eyes glinted at him as the girls sat up and he glared into a dark shadow just past the tree Carrot was tied to. The small slip of paper glowed with a bright white light, then it fell suddenly as something darted through the air.   
  
"What's going on?" Carrot shook his head, squinting in the dark. He was still groggy, but he'd seen the magic ward and he didn't understand why it had gone out. His brother was a shadowy white shape crouched a few feet away, then the shape wavered and fell. "Marron...?"  
  
"Tira!"  
  
"Marron!"  
  
Carrot's eyes dropped to where Tira had just been standing and he stared at the girl in confusion. She seemed to be kneeling, frozen in place by the dark green light that surrounded her. Then the hands that had been touching his bindings stopped moving as Chocolate was consumed in the same light. Her eyes were still focused on Tira and Carrot turned his head, trying to see behind the tree to their enemy.  
  
Gateau glanced around in time to see the two girls fall, but he couldn't forget the black-haired mage. Marron was on his knees, leaning against him as he gripped his right wrist with a stunned expression. An arrow was firmly set through his palm, the small head dark with blood against dull wood. He was torn and he started to leave the mage in order to face the unseen enemy, pausing when Marron gave a shudder, pale green light changing his skin color for a second before fading out. "What..." His word ended slowly, his eyes locked with Marron's as the mage drew in a swift breath. Dark green magic raced over him, and Gateau found himself frozen completely. His breathing was almost nothing, natural and not under his control.  
  
"Tira? Chocolate?" Leaning down as much as he could, Carrot blinked into Chocolate's open eyes as the girl didn't move. The eyes didn't move either and his heart rate sped up suddenly. "Gateau?! Marron?!" The blonde man seemed as frozen as the girls, but Carrot let out a sigh when the black-haired mage shifted slightly. "What's going on? Marron?"  
  
His blood was on fire, he could feel it burning through his veins, flowing from the small arrow. He stared at his hand for what seemed like a year before he could wake himself. Then he found a second shock as that magic he'd been born with was somehow gone. It was Gateau's question that woke his mind and he knew it was some sort of seal, it had to be. Then the man froze over him and he could hear his brother's panicked cry. His magic may have been blocked for the moment, but other than his hand, he was uninjured. Marron reminded himself of this when his muscles refused to obey him and he barely managed to lift his head, his eyes making out Carrot's bound form. The boy was as defenseless as the others. "Onii-san..."   
  
"What is it?!" Carrot jerked when a tall figure suddenly stepped past him, the black cloak hiding it completely and nearly scaring him to death. He closed his mouth quickly, then strained his head to the side, barely making out Gateau and Marron. Dark green light surrounded his brother and he glared, gritting his teeth. "Attacking at night! Coward, try that on me!" It had to be a sorcerer, probably the one they were after. All he needed was for the guy to hit him with that magic. "Hey!"  
  
Chocolate could feel Carrot moving furiously against the ropes holding him, but she couldn't move. She could feel her hand on the tight rope holding Carrot, could see Tira bent beside Carrot's legs, but she couldn't blink or make a sound. It was inconceivable! They couldn't die like this, not with Carrot and her sister so close. Not when she was powerless to so much as move a muscle. Carrot gave another angry taunt and she wanted to add her own voice to it. Staring at her sister's shadowed hair, she knew Tira felt the same.  
  
His eyes were now focused on Marron's bloody hand. The mage had shifted, but Gateau could feel that his arm was still supporting Marron's shoulders, he could feel silky black hair against his palm. He'd seen the dark green magic that had followed the paler shade, and he knew they'd all been hit. But not Carrot. If it was the sorcerer they were after, then he'd obviously seen their battle with the last sorcerer. He knew better than to use magic on Carrot. Staring at the arrow little more than a foot from his face, he took in the dark shaft. There was a small section an inch wide that shone even in the dark, the tip small and rounded to cause minimal damage. That was planning. It made him wonder if the girl hadn't been planted merely to ensure that Carrot was restrained when the sorcerer attacked. If not, the man had just gotten lucky, very lucky.  
  
He saw his older brother's eyes widen, then the view was cut off by a tall black figure. The magic was strong, but Marron was certain he'd normally have been able to throw it off. Now, he couldn't do more than listen to his brother's cries and stare into a shadowed hood that revealed glinting eyes. The man's steady gate didn't hesitate at all and he was suddenly able to make out the face. It was the sorcerer Momma had told them to kill. Then the sorcerer was too close for him to see anything more than the dark cloak since he couldn't raise his head or his eyes. A black-clothed shoulder came into view when the man knelt in front of him, a dark arm passing before his eyes with a small sparking blade held in a gloved hand. He felt his injured hand being lifted, and if he'd been able to close his eyes he would have done so gladly.  
  
"Hey! What are you doing?!" Carrot's eyes widened abruptly, locked onto the small dagger. He didn't believe it. A sorcerer with the magic to immobilize them all wouldn't kill them with a blade, surely not. But the figure was kneeling now and he found himself able to meet Marron's eyes. He blinked a few times before he would admit to the emotion he saw there. His brother didn't fear anything, he was always calm no matter what...  
  
Gateau was almost able to flinch when the blade entered his sight, and his eyes would have narrowed in confusion. A black-gloved hand circled Marron's pale wrist, turning it sideways. Then the sorcerer set the blade down on the white cloth of the mage's arm and it was infuriating that neither of them was able to shift enough to move the dagger. The man gripped Marron's wrist again, another gloved hand coming into Gateau's vision and closing around the bloody tip of the arrow. It was pulled forward till that shining segment was hidden by pale skin, only the dark wood of the arrow left on either side of Marron's hand. The wound was bleeding freely and he could barely make out the blood that landed on his chest, the periphery of his sight blurry at best. When the blade was lifted again, Gateau wasn't surprised to see it cut through the wood on either side. What did surprise him was the white cloth that was wrapped around the wound enough times to completely stem the bleeding.  
  
Yelling wasn't doing him any good at all and Carrot gave up on that. His eyes closed as he struggled against the ropes, but he knew it was next to hopeless. The girls were used to tying him up, there was no way he'd be able to get free on his own. Not stilling his efforts, however futile they were, he looked across the small clearing and met Marron's dark eyes. They were glazed and he ducked his head, staring at Chocolate for a second before looking again. His brother's eyes were brighter and he felt an icy shiver rush over him. The sorcerer could be killing them and they'd never make a sound, he had no way of knowing. If he could just get loose, he'd know, he could help.  
  
Carrot was staring at him with wide eyes and Marron knew his own pain and fear was visible to the boy. A few deep breaths would have been enough to hide his feelings, but he couldn't control his breathing anymore than he could look away. He felt something brush a damp spot on his wrist, then a gloved hand passed in front of his face, a fingertip touching his forehead. It didn't hurt, but he wanted to shiver suddenly, feeling a symbol being drawn on his skin. Then the knife was back, the man straightening so Marron could see the blade slipped into a belt within the black cloak. Fingers moved toward his eyes and he barely heard words whispered before they pressed his eyelids down, eliminating his sight. He didn't even realize it was a spell until his previously frozen body collapsed suddenly, his own gasp the last thing he heard.  
  
By the time Marron fell back in his arms, Gateau already knew what was happening. The blood on the mage's pale forehead confused him, but he was not surprised to feel the sorcerer's arms press against his chest just before the limp body was lifted away. The man was taking Marron, that much was obvious and there wasn't a damn thing he could do about it. But knowing didn't help him understand why the sorcerer hadn't killed them. He'd had plenty of opportunity to, but if he'd wanted them dead he never would have bothered to immobilize them and leave alive for as long as he had. Carrot's outraged cry echoed in his ear, then he fell forward on the ground, his eyes closing heavily.  
  
"Gateau?!" The blonde man collapsed and Carrot stared at him for a second before his eyes flew to the dark figure who was kneeling beside Gateau. Then the sorcerer stood and his face grew hot with anger, his eyes dark slits. "Let him go! Don't touch my brother!" The man had taken a step away, but he stopped suddenly and Carrot found himself glaring into bright eyes. Despite his fury he almost flinched back from the powerful gaze.   
  
"Brother...?"  
  
He was about to make a cursed retort when his eyes caught on Marron's forehead and he blinked a few times before he realized it wasn't what he'd thought. For a second there it looked real, that symbol that was on the forehead of all of the evil sorcerers they'd killed. But it wasn't real, it had never been there before. Besides, Marron wasn't a sorcerer. "Yes! Damn you! My brother--" His words were cut off when a dark gloved hand caught his chin and he glared, his head tilted back to meet a familiar face. It *was* the sorcerer, but he looked different now, not calm as he'd been in the picture Momma had shown them.  
  
"He's no brother of yours. I've seen what you are, what you do." Voice a quiet growl, the sorcerer released Carrot's chin, striking the boy with the back of his hand. It wasn't a hard blow, but it seemed to catch the boy by surprise, judging from those wide eyes when they turned back to him. "There is no comparison." Carrot's mouth opened but he didn't give him a chance, whispering a few words as he glared at the bound Sorcerer Hunter. The three youths slumped simultaneously and he turned, disappearing into the forest without looking back.  
  
* * *  
TBC 


	2. Part 2

Category: Anime, Sorcerer Hunters, Yaoi, TWT  
Warnings: slight angst, reference to shonen ai  
Pairings: Gateau+Marron, Tira+Carrot/Chocolate+Carrot  
Author: Arigatomina  
Email: arigatoumina@hotmail.com  
Complete Archive: www.geocities.com/arigatomina  
www.fanfiction.net under Arigatomina  
  
Forbidden Magic  
  
Part 2  
  
"Carrot?"  
  
Someone was shaking him, his head resounding against the rough tree behind him. His brain felt thick behind his eyes and Carrot let out a mumbled complaint, pushing at the hands jerking him. "Stop that!"  
  
"Darling, wake up." Chocolate let out a soft sigh when the boy finally opened his eyes, brown slits that winced from the bright sun sparking through the leaves above them. He seemed dazed, but she didn't have time to wonder, a loud curse making both her and Carrot flinch.  
  
"What are you doing asleep in the first place?" Gateau growled, glaring down at the boy. It was true that they'd only woken a few moments ago, but they had an excuse. The sorcerer had put them to sleep. But he hadn't used magic on Carrot, if he had then the boy would have transformed. He'd still been tied to the tree when they woke. "What happened?"  
  
"Happened...?" The tall blonde was glaring daggers at him, but Carrot couldn't seem to clear his head at all. His eyes felt as if there were a slight film over them and he could smell a tangy sweet scent that made him want to fall back again. The grass beneath him suddenly looked so inviting. He was sinking toward it when Tira caught his arm, holding him upright. Her eyes were hidden behind wide glasses and he gave a distracted smile at how small her chin looked. Then his heavy eyelids started to fall again.  
  
"Darling?" A heavy footstep sounded behind her, but Chocolate paid the angry man no attention at all, her hand lifting the boy's chin. His eyes remained closed and her breath caught with worry. "What's wrong? What did he do to you?"  
  
"He couldn't have used magic on him," Gateau said sharply. Despite his words, it was obvious that something had been done and he crouched near the red-haired girl, frowning at Carrot's small smile. Tira let out a small gasp and he looked at her, his eyes following her hand to the boy's cheek.  
  
"Maybe it isn't magic at all," Tira said softly, brushing her fingers over the brown-haired boy's cheek. She couldn't see the pale powder well, but she brought the hand to her face, catching a soft odor. "It smells like...a fruit? I don't know, but I guess this could be why he's so sleepy."  
  
"No way-" Gateau's words stopped when the girl shook her head suddenly and wavered a bit. His arm shot out to catch her and she clutched his shoulder tightly. "Hey! Don't you pass out, too."   
  
"Tira?"  
  
"Mmm, it feels really nice," Tira murmured softly. Then she took a deep breath and leaned away from Gateau, shaking her head again. "The smell lingers, there's definitely magic mixed in with that stuff, whatever it is."  
  
"But if he did magic on the powder and not Carrot, then he wouldn't be able to absorb anything, right?" Chocolate glared at her sister's hand before her eyes slid to Carrot again. "Fine, then we just have to get rid of the powder, or the smell. Both."  
  
"Great, we can throw him in the first stream we find," Gateau muttered. "Try dumping the water on him, if it's not enough I'll carry him. We don't have time."  
  
"We should tell Momma," Tira said as she stood and went to their supplies. She found the water jug and handed it to Chocolate, watching as her sister washed Carrot's face. It would have been funny, the discomfited grimace that crossed the boy's expression. But there wasn't anything amusing about their situation. Now that her initial worry over Carrot was abated, she turned to Gateau. "Do you think she can tell us what's going on?"  
  
The girl was asking him and Gateau almost blinked at her in surprise. They never asked him what they should do, they asked Marron. The young magic user was always the calm collected one, the one they all looked to for advice. It was odd, having the girl ask him. "I..." He stopped himself, not willing to admit how lost he was. "If she knows what's going on, then she would have contacted us by now. We can't wait here, and she can find us if she wants to. I didn't see his face, but I'm assuming that was the sorcerer we're after, meaning we already know where he is. Last night, Marron said he was probably across that expanse. He's usually right."  
  
Tira nodded, glancing away from those angry blue eyes. She hadn't asked him anything, but he obviously knew more about what had happened than she did. From her position near Carrot, she hadn't been able to see anything except her own bent legs and the ground beneath her. But she'd heard everything up until the moment sleep had fallen over her. It was frightening, not that she was about to admit that as her pride was too stubborn. But it was, a little bit. The sorcerer had simply walked into their camp and taken down every one of them, effortlessly. And he'd taken Marron without a fight. That was the hard part to understand. Marron was the only one of them who could use magic, he was the one who should have been on equal grounds with the sorcerer. Her memory was usually excellent, but she frowned at the scuffed grass, trying to remember if Carrot's brother had gotten even a single spell cast. She remembered him waking them, his ward, then she'd dropped her eyes to rise and that spell had struck her. After that, she'd only heard Carrot's voice and the sorcerer's last whispered words. "Carrot..."  
  
"Eh...?"  
  
Blinking, Tira looked over and gave a relieved smile to see those warm eyes fluttering slowly. He still looked as if he could fall asleep easily, but he did seem to be more focused than before. She crouched next to her older sister, sharing Chocolate's smile. "Carrot." The boy frowned and rubbed his eyes furiously, then he froze, his face hidden by his hands.  
  
"Darling, don't." Chocolate shook her head when Tira gave her a confused glance and directed her eyes on the boy. She could feel him tense where her hand lay on his shoulder and she straightened slowly, frowning in preparation of his looking at her. Finally, he dropped his hands and she shook her head again at his blank expression. "Whatever you're thinking, it's nonsense. We're going to go defeat him right now, we were just waiting for you."  
  
"It was him, the one in the picture," Carrot said slowly, not looking at either of the girls. His eyes were directed at the ropes that lay near him, where they'd been discarded earlier. If he hadn't been tied, they wouldn't be in this mess. Didn't that make it his fault? He thought it did, he was almost sure of it. "I'm going to kill him..."  
  
"Get in line." Gateau snorted when the boy shot a quick glare in his direction. "Let's go." The girls nodded sharply and he turned to their supplies, tossing them over a shoulder. The land looked completely empty and flat, but Marron had hinted that it might be an illusion. Oh, there was definitely a field at the edge of the woods, but the black-haired man had been quiet when he'd stared at the horizon. Gateau was pretty sure he'd seen something but hadn't wanted to mention it until he was certain, his friend was like that. The most Marron had been willing to admit was that their target was over that field. That was where they were going.  
  
"How do you know which way?" Carrot asked, grabbing his sword quickly when the tall man walked away from him and the girls. It didn't take but a moment to catch up and he frowned, looking around. He hadn't caught any sign of tracks, not that he was good at tracking, but Gateau seemed to know exactly where the sorcerer was headed. "Well?"  
  
"You wouldn't know since you were busy drooling over that girl last night, but Marron said the sorcerer was past the fields, to the west." A glance showed that his barb had struck when the boy flinched and glared at him. Suddenly, he didn't care. Marron didn't like it when he made comments about Carrot's obsession, didn't like to hear his brother being ridiculed. But he wasn't there, and the boy deserved it. Gateau knew better than to blame Carrot, but he couldn't seem to help himself, the boy was an easy target and there *was* some truth to it. "Speaking of which, here she comes."  
  
Still glaring, Carrot tore his eyes away from Gateau to follow the pointed hand. He blinked sharply and took a step to the side before clenching his hands and stopping himself. It was a natural reaction, but he didn't want to give the blonde more fuel for the fire. Besides, now wasn't the time to be chasing girls. Still, he couldn't just ignore her. "Is something wrong?"  
  
Chocolate frowned, tapping her fingers on her hip. The pretty dark-haired girl was standing at the edge of the woods, a wide smile curving her lips as she looked at Carrot. That was just what they needed. But it did prove that the boy wasn't as worried as she'd feared, at least he hadn't let his spirits get down. "We're in a hurry," she said firmly, nodding when the girl's eyes flicked to her.  
  
"I know," Kendra smiled. "I just wanted to apologize for last night. It isn't often that we get to talk to people, so I really didn't want to miss the chance. We'll be visible till sunset, if you want to visit some more." Her eyes were on Carrot and she gave a shy smile. "My father wouldn't approve, but I always regretted dying before I had a boyfriend."  
  
Gateau choked, his eyes flying to Chocolate's stunned gaze. Then he looked back at the girl, trying to see anything that would give her away. She looked normal, not even Marron had felt anything from her. But...it made sense. "I knew it," Gateau said slowly, nodding when the girl gave him a sweet questioning look. "He put you there to distract Carrot, didn't he." It wasn't really a question, but the girl nodded.  
  
"He said if we helped then we could be alive again, if only for a little while. And he kept his promise, none of you have been hurt." Carrot's face was white and she blinked at him, taking a small step back. "You...aren't angry are you? He said you wouldn't be, that you wouldn't care..."  
  
"He took my brother!" Carrot's mouth snapped shut when the girl gasped and jerked away. He couldn't remember ever having yelled at a girl, even a ghost, and he was surprised at himself. But she looked so sincere.  
  
"Really? I didn't know. Will your parents be angry when you go back without him?" The boy flinched and she had the impression he was resisting the urge to lunge forward. He couldn't hurt her, but she still took a small step back. "I mean, I can see that you're angry, but don't you think it's for the best? If he's your brother, then you should at least want him to be happy, even if you don't care about him."  
  
"What the hell are you talking about?" Gateau muttered, exchanging another glance with Chocolate. "What did the sorcerer tell you?"  
  
"You're his friend," Kendra smiled, nodding at the blonde man. "I know you must be upset. I'm still surprised that he," she waved at Carrot, "is his brother, but I understand that *you* have questions. He said you would and told me to tell you whatever I thought best. Come down and sit with my family before the sun sets. That way, you won't go back home still worried."  
  
"We're not going anywhere without Marron," Carrot said suddenly, finding his tongue. The girl gave him a funny look and he glanced at Tira, wondering if he was the only one who was furious. The pink-haired girl's hands were curled but she gave him a small nod before following Kendra.  
  
Stepping closer to Gateau, Chocolate lowered her voice, her eyes never leaving Kendra's back. "This could be part of it, making us waste time here."  
  
"I don't really care what the sorcerer told her, I would rather just go now." The girl shot him a knowing look and he gritted his teeth. "If Marron were here, he'd say it's a chance to learn how our enemy thinks, by listening to the story he told them."  
  
"I'm sure he's fine," Chocolate said, her eyes dark slits beneath the fall of blood-red hair. "But you're still taking this better than I'd have expected. Did what Carrot said really get to you that much? I didn't think you'd let his opinions get between you and Marron."  
  
"I don't care what Carrot thinks of me," Gateau muttered, glaring at the boy's back before stepping after them. Now was not the time to remind him of *that* confrontation. "Marron's the one who agreed with him."  
  
"Oh." The blonde moved away and she gave a small sigh. There'd been a distinct difference in the two since that fight, but she was surprised Gateau would give up so easily. His pursuit of Marron was so long-lived. He'd been chasing him as long as Carrot had been chasing girls, though he was much more subtle about it. Thinking back, though, she had to admit that Marron had been absolutely silent during Carrot's tirade. She hadn't paid much attention to him, too surprised that Carrot would come right out and forbid any relationship between the two friends. Usually, he tried to pretend he was oblivious.  
  
"Chocolate?"  
  
Her sister was waiting near the edge of the field and Chocolate shook her head. That really didn't matter right now. "I'm coming."  
  
"Her parents are still here," Tira said as Chocolate walked past her. They moved down the hill, stopping near Gateau and Carrot. Mathew was seated in front of the large tent, his expression only a bit wary considering the glares being sent at him. But then, if he was a ghost then they couldn't exactly threaten to kill him so he had nothing to fear.  
  
"Papa, Carrot is that boy's brother." Her father's eyes flew to her and Kendra nodded quickly before sitting down next to him. The four hunters were standing on the other side of the dark fire and she waved at the grass. When they'd finally sat, she leaned forward and flashed a sad smile at her mother who was sitting on the other side of her father. "He's going to be in trouble when he goes back without his brother."  
  
"That's not-" Carrot gave a frustrated growl when the girl smiled at him again. He wasn't used to being angry with a girl, he didn't know how to handle it so he turned his gaze to her father. "We're going after Marron. She said you'd tell us what he told you."  
  
"He never said that boy was your brother," Mathew said slowly.  
  
"Did he tell you what he planned to do with Marron?" Gateau's voice was devoid of any emotion, and he stilled himself for the answer he expected.  
  
"He said you were his friend," Mathew nodded, "I'm sorry for your worry. He won't hurt the boy, no more than he did you. I admit, I wasn't sure if I should have helped until I actually met the four of you. Then I saw what he told us about. That boy, Marron, he's *not* like the rest of you." His eyes narrowed and turned to Carrot suddenly. "I can't believe the two of you are brothers."  
  
"What do *you* know?" Carrot demanded angrily. Chocolate and Tira set hands on his shoulders as if to restrain him, but he shrugged them off. "You just met us."  
  
"You gave an impression that would last a life-time," Mathew murmured. "And he was so quiet, I could tell he had inner demons, just like the sorcerer said. There's no reason for him to have to stay and fight that alone, especially if he has magic. I never met a sorcerer before Shibo, and all I ever heard about them was how evil they were. But Shibo was different, the same as your friend."  
  
Tira glared, leaning forward. "Marron's not a sorcerer."  
  
"No? He was born with magic, wasn't he? Shibo said you didn't accept him, despite the fact that you travel together. He's a sorcerer, Shibo saw that."  
  
"You shouldn't be so angry," Kendra said quickly, her eyes darting to each of them before landing on Gateau. The blonde man's eyes were cold looking, but at least his anger she understood. "Don't you want your friend to be happy? To be where he belongs?"  
  
"He *belongs* with us." Gateau's narrow eyes flitted to Carrot when the boy stood suddenly and he looked away from him again.  
  
Glaring at the family, Carrot clenched his fists in frustration and anger. "What's wrong with you people?! This guy--this sorcerer kidnaps my brother and you say we should be happy about it?" The girls stood, taking up position to either side of him. "Why are we even listening to you?"  
  
"Right. I've heard enough." Gateau rose slowly, his hand shifting their supplies as he turned away from the family. "We have no time for this."  
  
"You're really going after them?" Kendra asked, her eyes wide when Tira nodded sharply, Chocolate staring at her as if she were stupid. "I don't think he expected that..."  
  
"Good," Carrot said sharply, "better for us."  
  
"You won't get far before dark," Mathew said slowly, his eyes lifting to the sky. "There's a storm coming in."  
  
"Do you know how far this Shibo's castle is?" Chocolate asked.  
  
"Very few people can see us, but he has been through here many times before. He always stops to speak with us so I believe his castle can't be too far. He travels on foot." They nodded at him, but Mathew shook his head. "You're wasting your time, though. Your friend won't *want* to come back." Carrot flinched, eyes wide, but he continued. "And if you try to take him away by force you'll have to defeat Shibo. All that will do is cause your friend even more pain. I'm telling you to let it go."  
  
"Great," Carrot laughed, his voice a bit too high. "Advice taken *and* ignored. We're out of here."  
  
"Wait!" Kendra hurried over to them and put a hand on Gateau's shoulder, her eyes turned up to him. "You're going after your friend, right?" The man didn't respond, his eyes dark. "Well, Shibo said to tell you something if you decided to. He said the others wouldn't, but that *you* might come after them."  
  
"What is it?" Gateau didn't even have to look to know that Carrot was stiffening behind him and he ignored the boy.  
  
"No, just you."  
  
The girl's cheeks flushed a light pink and Gateau's stomach dropped. That didn't sound good at all. But he followed her a few feet away, carefully avoiding Chocolate's gaze and Carrot's anger. Kendra was shorter and he crouched down, the girl leaning on him as she whispered in his ear.  
  
"I don't understand all of it," Kendra whispered, her eyes on the others since her head was over the tall blonde's shoulder. "But he warned me that you might get embarrassed if I said it in front of my parents. He didn't say anything about your friends, but I think he was sure they'd be gone by then."  
  
"Just tell me," Gateau muttered.  
  
"Well, he said a couple things. First, he said to tell you not to bother, that you'll just hurt him more. He said you were too slow and that you should never have taken no for an answer. And he said he was sorry for you but he's going to win." She smiled when she leaned back, her cheeks still tinted. "Shibo and you both *like* him, don't you." The blonde was staring at her and she dropped her eyes. "I wish I could have had two men fighting over me, it's so romantic."  
  
"There's nothing romantic about it," Gateau whispered. The girl raised her eyebrows in questioning, but he stood, looking at the horizon again. A glance found the others watching him curiously, Carrot still glaring. "Let's go, now."  
  
"What did she say?!"  
  
The boy was furious, but he ignored that, walking away from the family and the hill, leaving the forest behind. "It's none of your business."  
  
"Marron's my brother!" Carrot yelled, running to catch up. "Gateau-" His teeth snapped together when the man rounded suddenly and lifted him by the neck of his shirt.  
  
"Listen to me, Carrot. It's *none* of your business. Get it?" The boy continued to glare and he flung him backwards, watching impassively as Carrot got back to his feet. The brown-haired boy stood, his hands curled into fists but he was done with their contest. It was obvious that Shibo had heard of the confrontation and his challenge was much more important that dealing with Marron's older brother. "I'm leaving."  
  
Chocolate exchanged a long look with Tira before moving to Carrot. "Darling, let's go get Marron back." The boy snorted softly, glaring holes into Gateau's back. "We should hurry."  
  
"Hn."  
  
* * *  
  
The wind started suddenly, and it blew the grass away. That was the impression the four hunters had when the flat plain they'd been walking across changed to sand. As Mathew had warned them, their progress was halted almost completely. The sky had darkened too quickly, thick clouds blocking out the sun moments before the first gust. Tira's glasses protected her eyes from the stinging sand blown around them, but the others were not so lucky.  
  
"There's no point moving in this," Chocolate called out, squinting. She couldn't even see the field they'd crossed. In fact, she couldn't see anything that was more than two feet away and she tightened her hold on Carrot's arm. "We'll end up going in the wrong direction."  
  
"No way, he's just trying to slow us down." Despite his words, Carrot stopped, wiping his face. The wind was dry, but the sand seemed to stick to his face, as if it were working toward his mouth and eyes. "Where did this desert come from, anyway?"  
  
"An illusion," Gateau muttered, wiping his lips with the inside of his shirt. He'd closed his eyes when the others stopped and he didn't bother to open them again. "And we walked right into it. But we were definitely going west. Mathew said there was a storm coming, this must be it. We just have to wait."  
  
"You wait," Carrot spat, glaring in the direction of the blonde man's voice since his eyelashes were spotted with sand.   
  
"Don't argue about it," Tira said softly, her coat protecting her mouth as she wiped her dusty glasses. "There's no moon tonight. Even if the sandstorm stops, I don't think that cloud-cover will blow away before tomorrow. There's nothing we can do but stop and set up a tent."  
  
"Think it'll bury us?" Chocolate turned her back to the wind, grimacing at the coating that seemed to be covering her face. "This is a sandstorm, don't they bury things? And he's on foot, too, right?" A hand touched her shoulder and she squinted at Gateau, giving him a weak smile when he handed her one of the blankets. Wrapping it around her shoulders and face, she waited until the others were similarly covered.   
  
"Don't worry about that," Gateau said, pulling his own blanket up around his face. "He's not going to risk traveling in this, the ground isn't stable with all the sand relocating. As soon as the storm's over we keep going."  
  
"In the dark?" He didn't want to talk to Gateau, but he did seem to know more about where they were going. Chocolate's arm suddenly didn't feel so uncomfortable on his shoulders and Carrot loosened up a bit, peeking out of the blanket at Gateau.  
  
"Your back's to the direction we want to go in," Gateau commented, meeting the boy's gaze. Their problems could wait. Arguing now wouldn't help anything. "As long as we remember that, we can move in the dark. We just have to walk carefully." None of them spoke and he hunkered down suddenly, folding his arms and ducking his head. He thought his reasoning was right. If it were a magic-induced storm, then Carrot would be affected, right? Maybe. Marron would have known for sure.  
  
* * *  
  
The boy was doing it again and Shibo was almost amused by it this time. He'd set down when the storm started, using a shield to keep the sand from touching him or his captive. Now, he was seated comfortably as sand piled up around the barrier, a dark head resting in his lap. And the mage was glowing with a blinding white light.  
  
He'd been watching for long enough to know the teenager had magic as strong as any sorcerer, but during his vigilance he'd never seen this. It was as if he'd suddenly tapped into a well of power that was consuming him. Whether it was a result of the spell, he didn't know, but it was definite proof that the boy was no mere mage. A soft sigh left him and he brushed silky black hair away from Marron's forehead. He'd planned to keep the boy asleep until he was secure, but he couldn't let him continue to use whatever magic he was calling. He shouldn't even be able to use magic, meaning whatever he was drawing wouldn't be able to escape his body. It could easily destroy the boy if trapped long enough.   
  
His hands framed that pale face and he brushed his thumbs over the boy's eyes, shaking his head when they snapped open immediately. This was the second time, but the white glow was cut off as soon as Marron regained awareness. Pale golden eyes locked onto his and he smiled at the steady gaze. There wasn't the least hint of fear. It made him wonder if the boy remembered the last time he'd been forced to wake him. But he would have plenty of time to ask. Closing those oddly colored eyes, he set the spell again.  
  
* * *  
TBC 


End file.
